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{{Short description|U.S. government agency, 1871–1978}}
[[File:US-CivilServiceCommission-Seal-EO11096.jpg|right|200px]]
{{Infobox government agency
The '''United States Civil Service Commission''' was a three-man commission created by the [[Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act]],<ref>http://millercenter.org/president/keyevents/arthur</ref> which was passed into law on January 16, 1883. The commission was created to administer the [[civil service]] of the [[United States federal government]] in response to the assassination of President [[James Garfield]] by [[Charles Guiteau]], who is said to have been a rejected office seeker. Guiteau wanted a job via the [[spoils system]], also known as patronage, and Chester Arthur didn't want to continue the system that killed his predecessor. The law required certain applicants to take the civil service exam in order to be given certain jobs; it also prevented elected officials and political appointees from firing civil servants, removing civil servants from the influences of political patronage and partisan behavior.<ref>Creating America: A History of the United States, Rand McNally, p 238 (2003)</ref>
| agency_name = United States Civil Service Commission
| logo =
| logo_width =
| logo_caption =
| seal = US-CivilServiceCommission-Seal-EO11096.jpg
| seal_width =
| seal_caption = Official seal
| formed = {{start date and age|1871|03|03}}
| preceding1 =
| dissolved = {{start date and age|1978|01|01}}
| superseding1 = [[United States Office of Personnel Management|Office of Personnel Management]]
| superseding2 = [[United States Merit Systems Protection Board|Merit Systems Protection Board]]
| jurisdiction = [[U.S. federal government]]
}}


The '''United States Civil Service Commission ''' was a [[government agency]] of the [[federal government of the United States]]. It was created to select employees of federal government on merit rather than relationships. In 1979, it was dissolved as part of the [[Civil Service Reform Act of 1978]]; the [[United States Office of Personnel Management|Office of Personnel Management]] and the [[United States Merit Systems Protection Board|Merit Systems Protection Board]] are the successor agencies.
Effective January 1, 1978, functions of the commission were split between the [[Office of Personnel Management]] and the [[United States Merit Systems Protection Board|Merit Systems Protection Board]] under the provisions of [[Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978]] ''(43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783)'' and the [[Civil Service Reform Act of 1978]]. In addition, other functions were placed under jurisdiction of the [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]] (EEOC), the [[Federal Labor Relations Authority]] (FLRA) and the [[Office of Special Counsel]] (OSC).


== History ==
Under the Commission Model, policy making and administrative powers were given to semi-independent commission rather than to the president. Reformers believed that a commission formed outside of the president’s chain of command would ensure that civil servants would be selected on the basis of merit system and the career service would operate in a political neutrality fashion. Civil Service Commissions typically consisted of three to seven individuals appointed by the chief executive on a bipartisan basis and for limited terms. Commissioners were responsible for direct administration of personnel system, including rule-making authority, administration of merit examinations, and enforcement of merit rules.
On March 3, 1871, President [[Ulysses S. Grant]] signed into law the first U.S. civil service reform legislation, which had been passed by Congress.<ref>"Civil Service Commission", in ''Landmark Legislation, 1774-2002: Major U.S. Acts and Treaties'', ed. by Stephen W. Stathis (Congressional Quarterly Press, 2003) p107</ref> The act created the '''United States Civil Service Commission''', that was implemented by President Grant and funded for two years by Congress lasting until 1874. However, Congress which relied heavily on patronage, especially the Senate, did not renew funding of the Civil Service Commission.<ref name=Brands_pp543-544>[[#Brands|Brands]] (2012), pp. 543-544</ref> President Grant's successor, President [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] requested a renewal of funding but none was granted.


President Hayes' successor, [[James A. Garfield]], advocated Civil Service reform. His efforts against the [[spoils system]], also known as patronage, were cut short after he was [[Assassination of James A. Garfield|assassinated]] by [[Charles J. Guiteau]].
==Presidents of the commission==
{{Expand list|date=February 2011}}


=== Pendleton law ===
President Garfield's successor, President [[Chester A. Arthur]], took up the cause of Civil Service reform and was able to lobby Congress to pass the [[Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act]] in 1883. The Pendleton law was passed in part following a public outcry over the assassination of President Garfield. The Pendleton Act renewed funding for the Civil Service Commission and established a three-man commission to run Civil Service whose commissioners were chosen by President Arthur. The Civil Service Commission administered the [[civil service]] of the [[federal government of the United States|United States federal government]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://millercenter.org/president/keyevents/arthur |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217133658/http://millercenter.org/president/keyevents/arthur |archive-date=2010-12-17 |title=American President: Key Events in the Presidency of Chester A. Arthur}}</ref> The Pendleton law required certain applicants to take the civil service exam in order to be given certain jobs; it also prevented elected officials and political appointees from firing civil servants, removing civil servants from the influences of political patronage and partisan behavior.<ref>Creating America: A History of the United States, Rand McNally, p 238 (2003)</ref> President Arthur and succeeding Presidents continued to expand the authority of the Civil Service Commission and federal departments that the Civil Service was covered. The Civil Service Commission, in addition to reducing patronage, also alleviated the burdensome task of the [[President of the United States]] in appointing federal office seekers.

Under the Commission Model, policy making and administrative powers were given to semi-independent commission rather than to the president. Reformers believed that a commission formed outside of the president’s [[command hierarchy|chain of command]] would ensure that civil servants would be selected on the basis of merit system and the career service would operate in a politically neutral fashion. Civil Service Commissions typically consisted of three to seven individuals appointed by the chief executive on a bipartisan basis and for limited terms. Commissioners were responsible for direct administration of personnel system, including rule-making authority, administration of merit examinations, and enforcement of merit rules.

=== 1953 Executive Order ===
On April 27, 1953, President Eisenhower issued [[Executive Order 10450]], which banned gay men and lesbians from working for any agency of the federal government, including the United States Civil Service Commission.<ref>{{cite web|author=04/27/2012 3:48 pm EDT |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/josh-howard/april-27-1953-lavender-scare_b_1459335.html |title=April 27, 1953: For LGBT Americans, a Day That Lives in Infamy &#124; Josh Howard |publisher=Huffingtonpost.com |date=2012-04-27 |access-date=2015-06-25}}</ref> It was not until 1973 that a federal judge ruled that a person's sexual orientation alone could not be the sole reason for termination from federal employment,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The “Lavender Scare”: Homosexuals at the State Department – Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training |url=https://adst.org/2015/09/the-lavender-scare-homosexuals-at-the-state-department/ |access-date=2024-09-25 |website=adst.org}}</ref> and not until 1975 that the United States Civil Service Commission announced that they would consider applications by gays and lesbians on a case by case basis.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cold War, Lavender Scare, and LGBTQ+ Activism |url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/cold-war-lavender-scare-and-lgbtq-activism.htm |website=National Park Service |publisher=US Department of the Interior |access-date=2 January 2023}}</ref>

=== 1978 reorganization ===
Effective January 1, 1978, functions of the commission were split between the [[United States Office of Personnel Management|Office of Personnel Management]] and the [[United States Merit Systems Protection Board|Merit Systems Protection Board]] under the provisions of [[Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978]] ''(43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783)'' and the [[Civil Service Reform Act of 1978]]. In addition, other functions were placed under jurisdiction of the [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission]] (EEOC), the [[Federal Labor Relations Authority]] (FLRA) and the [[United States Office of Special Counsel|Office of Special Counsel]] (OSC).

==Chairmen of the commission==
{{Incomplete list|date=February 2011}}
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
! Name !! From !! Until
! Image !! Name !! From !! Until
|-
|-
|[[File:George William Curtis - Brady-Handy.jpg|60px]]
| [[Dorman B. Eaton]] || Mar 9, 1883 <ref>Foulke, W. D. [http://books.google.com/books?id=s8pAAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA8 ''Fighting the spoilsmen: reminiscences of the civil service reform movement''] (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1919), p.8</ref>|| Nov 1, 1885 (resigned) <ref>Cleveland, Grover. [http://books.google.com/books?id=toH4pXJPahkC&pg=PA46 ''Accepting Letter of Resignation of Dorman B. Eaton''] in ''The Writings and Speeches of Grover Cleveland'', ed. George F. Parker (New York: Cassell Publishing Company, 1892), p.46</ref>
| [[George William Curtis|George W. Curtis]]<ref name=Smith_p589>[[#Smith|Smith]] (2001), p. 589</ref> ||January 1, 1872 ||January 1, 1874
|-
|-
|[[File:Dorman B. Eaton.jpg|60px]]
| [[Alfred P. Edgerton]] || Nov 9, 1885 <ref name="4thReport">[http://books.google.com/books?id=VcIdAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA120 ''Fourth Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''] (Washington: Government Printing Office. 1888) pp. 120-121</ref> || Feb 9, 1889 (removed) <ref name="4thReport"/>
| [[Dorman B. Eaton]] || Mar 9, 1883 <ref>Foulke, W. D. [https://books.google.com/books?id=s8pAAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA8 ''Fighting the spoilsmen: reminiscences of the civil service reform movement''] (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1919), p.8</ref>|| Nov 1, 1885 (resigned)<ref>Cleveland, Grover. [https://books.google.com/books?id=toH4pXJPahkC&pg=PA46 ''Accepting Letter of Resignation of Dorman B. Eaton''] in ''The Writings and Speeches of Grover Cleveland'', ed. George F. Parker (New York: Cassell Publishing Company, 1892), p.46</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:Alfred Peck Edgerton.png|60px]]
| [[Charles Lyman]] || May 13, 1889 <ref>''Trying The Charleston'', "New York Times", May 14, 1889 </ref> || Dec 15, 1893 (resigned) <ref name="ProcterSucceedsLyman">[http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=iHNVki4A1WcC&dat=18931215&printsec=frontpage ''Procter Succeeds Lyman''], "The Daily Argus News" (Crawfordsville, Indiana), Dec 15 1893</ref>
| [[Alfred P. Edgerton]] || Nov 9, 1885 <ref name="4thReport">[https://books.google.com/books?id=VcIdAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA120 ''Fourth Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''] (Washington: Government Printing Office. 1888) pp. 120-121</ref> || Feb 9, 1889 (removed)<ref name="4thReport"/>
|-[[Theodore Roosevelt]] || Appointed by Benjamin Harrison, May 1889; reappointed by Grover Cleveland, May 1892; resigned 1895 <ref>R.P. van Riper, 1958. History of the United States Civil Service, Row, Peterson & Co., 1958</ref>

|
| [[Charles Lyman]] || May 13, 1889 <ref>''Trying The Charleston'', "New York Times", May 14, 1889</ref> || Dec 15, 1893 (resigned)<ref name="ProcterSucceedsLyman">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=iHNVki4A1WcC&dat=18931215&printsec=frontpage ''Procter Succeeds Lyman''], "The Daily Argus News" (Crawfordsville, Indiana), Dec 15 1893</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:John-R.-Procter.jpg|60px]]
| [[John R. Procter]] || Dec 15, 1893 <ref name="ProcterSucceedsLyman"/> || Dec 12, 1903 (died) <ref name="20thReport">[http://books.google.com/books?id=ZDkeAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA7 ''''Twentieth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''] (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1904) p. 7.</ref>
| [[John R. Procter]] || Dec 15, 1893 <ref name="ProcterSucceedsLyman"/> || Dec 12, 1903 (died)<ref name="20thReport">[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZDkeAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA7 ''''Twentieth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''] (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1904) p. 7.</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:John c black-illinois-1902.png|60px]]
| [[John C. Black]] || Jan 17, 1904 <ref>''Gen. Black Takes The Oath'', "New York Times", Jan 17, 1904 </ref> || Jun 10, 1913 (resigned) <ref name="31stReport">[http://books.google.com/books?id=TkIeAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA117 ''Thirty-First Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''] (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1915) p. 116.</ref>
| [[John C. Black]] || Jan 17, 1904 <ref>''Gen. Black Takes The Oath'', "New York Times", Jan 17, 1904</ref> || Jun 10, 1913 (resigned)<ref name="31stReport">[https://books.google.com/books?id=TkIeAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA117 ''Thirty-First Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''] (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1915) p. 116.</ref>
|-
|-
|
| [[John A. McIlhenny]] || Jun 12, 1913 <ref>''McIlhenny Heads Civil Service'', "New York Times", Jun 13, 1913 </ref> || Feb 28, 1919 (resigned) <ref name="36thReport">[http://books.google.com/books?id=BywpAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR27 ''Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''](Washington: Government Printing Office, 1919) p. xxvii</ref>
| [[John A. McIlhenny]] || Jun 12, 1913 <ref>''McIlhenny Heads Civil Service'', "New York Times", Jun 13, 1913</ref> || Feb 28, 1919 (resigned)<ref name="36thReport">[https://books.google.com/books?id=BywpAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR27 ''Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''](Washington: Government Printing Office, 1919) p. xxvii</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:MartinAMorrison.jpg|60px]]
| [[Martin A. Morrison]] || Mar 13, 1919 <ref name="36thReport"/> || Jul 14, 1921 (resigned) <ref name="39thReport">[http://books.google.com/books?id=uUUbAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA121 ''Thirty-Ninth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''](Washington: Government Printing Office, 1922) p. 121</ref>
| [[Martin A. Morrison]] || Mar 13, 1919 <ref name="36thReport"/> || Jul 14, 1921 (resigned)<ref name="39thReport">[https://books.google.com/books?id=uUUbAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA121 ''Thirty-Ninth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission''](Washington: Government Printing Office, 1922) p. 121</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:BARTLETT, J.N. GOVERNOR LCCN2016860880.jpg|60px]]
| [[John H. Bartlett]] || Jul 15, 1921 <ref name="39thReport"/> || Mar 12, 1922 (resigned) <ref name="39thReport"/>
| [[John H. Bartlett]] || Jul 15, 1921 <ref name="39thReport"/> || Mar 12, 1922 (resigned)<ref name="39thReport"/>
|-
|-
|[[File:W.C. Deming LCCN2014715789.jpg|60px]]
| [[William C. Deming]] || Mar 1, 1923 <ref name="CongDigest">[http://books.google.com/books?id=1OiHAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA198 ''The U.S. Civil Service Commission''], "[[Congressional Digest]]", Vol II. No. 7 (April 1923), p. 198</ref> || Feb 6, 1930 (resigned) <ref>Hoover, Herbert. [http://books.google.com/books?id=ZgGk-hWOwjwC&lpg=PA48&ots=YMky99Od5n&&pg=PA48 ''Letter Accepting the Resignation of William C. Deming as President of the Civil Service Commission''] in "Public Papers Of The Presidents Of The United States" (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1976)</ref>
| [[William C. Deming]] || Mar 1, 1923 <ref name="CongDigest">[https://books.google.com/books?id=1OiHAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA198 ''The U.S. Civil Service Commission''], "[[Congressional Digest]]", Vol II. No. 7 (April 1923), p. 198</ref> || Feb 6, 1930 (resigned)<ref>Hoover, Herbert. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ZgGk-hWOwjwC&pg=PA48 ''Letter Accepting the Resignation of William C. Deming as President of the Civil Service Commission''] in "Public Papers Of The Presidents Of The United States" (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1976)</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:Thomas E Campbell.jpg|60px]]
| [[Thomas E. Campbell]] || Jul 11, 1930 <ref>''Civil Service Head Takes Oath'', "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Jul 11, 1930</ref> || c. 1933 (resigned)
| [[Thomas E. Campbell]] || Jul 11, 1930 <ref>''Civil Service Head Takes Oath'', "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Jul 11, 1930</ref> || c. 1933 (resigned)
|-
|-
|[[File:Harry B. Mitchell LCCN2016875911 (cropped).jpg|60px]]
| [[Harry B. Mitchell]] || May 19, 1933 <ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BoM7AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-ikMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3512%2C3811590 ''Politics And Politicians''], "Gazette And Bulletin" (Williamsport, Pennsylvania), May 20, 1933</ref> || Feb 26, 1951 (resigned) <ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XZ40AAAAIBAJ&sjid=l3EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6925%2C5312122 ''Ramspeck Is Named Civil Service Head''], "The Day" (New London, Connecticut), Feb 27, 1951</ref>
| [[Harry B. Mitchell]] || May 19, 1933 <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BoM7AAAAIBAJ&sjid=-ikMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3512%2C3811590 ''Politics And Politicians''], "Gazette And Bulletin" (Williamsport, Pennsylvania), May 20, 1933</ref> || Feb 26, 1951 (resigned)<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XZ40AAAAIBAJ&sjid=l3EFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6925%2C5312122 ''Ramspeck Is Named Civil Service Head''], "The Day" (New London, Connecticut), Feb 27, 1951</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:Robert Ramspeck.jpg|60px]]
| [[Robert Ramspeck]] || Mar 16, 1951 <ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FTozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0uUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4014%2C546205 ''Ramspeck Takes Oath For Commission Post''], "The Spokesman-Review" (Spokane, Washington), Mar 17, 1951</ref> || Dec 31, 1952 (resigned) <ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hwAqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZQAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4495,5367943 ''Civil Service Chief Quits, Wins Praise''], "Toledo Blade" (Toledo, Ohio), Jan 1, 1953</ref>
| [[Robert Ramspeck]] || Mar 16, 1951 <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FTozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0uUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4014%2C546205 ''Ramspeck Takes Oath For Commission Post''], "The Spokesman-Review" (Spokane, Washington), Mar 17, 1951</ref> || Dec 31, 1952 (resigned)<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hwAqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZQAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4495,5367943 ''Civil Service Chief Quits, Wins Praise''], "Toledo Blade" (Toledo, Ohio), Jan 1, 1953</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:Philip Young (ambassador) 1957.jpg|60px]]
| [[Philip Young (Economist)|Philip Young]] || Mar 23, 1953 <ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AhgsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0cYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4985,6609110 ''Eisenhower Pledges To Rid Civil Service Of All Incompetents''], "Florence Times" (Florence, Alabama), Mar 23, 1953</ref> || Feb 11, 1957 (resigned) <ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IAorAAAAIBAJ&sjid=45kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1370%2C3972535 ''Two Quit CSC''], "Reading Eagle" (Reading, Pennsylvania), Feb 11, 1957</ref>
| [[Philip Young (ambassador)|Philip Young]] || Mar 23, 1953 <ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AhgsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0cYEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4985,6609110 ''Eisenhower Pledges To Rid Civil Service Of All Incompetents''], "Florence Times" (Florence, Alabama), Mar 23, 1953</ref> || Feb 11, 1957 (resigned)<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IAorAAAAIBAJ&sjid=45kFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1370%2C3972535 ''Two Quit CSC''], "Reading Eagle" (Reading, Pennsylvania), Feb 11, 1957</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:Harris Ellsworth (Oregon Congressman).jpg|60px]]
| [[Harris Ellsworth]] || Apr 18, 1957 <ref name="EllsworthBio">{{cite web| url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000146| title=Ellsworth, Matthew Harris| publisher=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress| publisher=Senate Historical office and House Legislative Resource Center|}}</ref> || Feb 28, 1959 (resigned) <ref name="EllsworthBio"/>
| [[Harris Ellsworth]] || Apr 18, 1957 <ref name="EllsworthBio">{{cite web |url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=E000146 |title= Ellsworth, Matthew Harris |work= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |publisher= Senate Historical office and House Legislative Resource Center}}</ref> || Feb 28, 1959 (resigned)<ref name="EllsworthBio"/>
|-
|-
|[[File:RogerWJones1963.png|60px]]
| [[Roger W. Jones]] || Mar 10, 1959 <ref>''Roger Jones Becomes Head of Civil Service'', "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Mar 10, 1959</ref> || Jan 4, 1961 (resigned) <ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ek8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UeoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4643%2C1938329 ''Kennedy, Farm Bosses Tackle Issue''], "The Miami News" (Miami, Florida), Jan 5, 1961</ref>
| [[Roger W. Jones]] || Mar 10, 1959 <ref>''Roger Jones Becomes Head of Civil Service'', "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Mar 10, 1959</ref> || Jan 4, 1961 (resigned)<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ek8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UeoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4643%2C1938329 ''Kennedy, Farm Bosses Tackle Issue'']{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, "The Miami News" (Miami, Florida), Jan 5, 1961</ref>
|-
|-
|[[File:JohnWMacyJr1963.png|60px]]
| [[John Macy|John W. Macy]] || Mar 6, 1961 <ref>''Macy Serves First Month In Federal Post for Free'', "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Mar 5, 1961</ref> || Jan 18, 1969 (resigned) <ref name="nixon">''Nixon Names Three to Policy Positions'', "The Los Angeles Times" (Los Angeles, California), Jan 18, 1969</ref>
| [[John Macy|John W. Macy]] || Mar 6, 1961 <ref>''Macy Serves First Month In Federal Post for Free'', "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Mar 5, 1961</ref> || Jan 18, 1969 (resigned)<ref name="nixon">''Nixon Names Three to Policy Positions'', "The Los Angeles Times" (Los Angeles, California), Jan 18, 1969</ref>
|-
|-
|
| [[Robert E. Hampton]] || Jan 18, 1969 <ref name="nixon"/>|| c. 1977 <ref name="ford">{{cite web| title=Robert E. Hampton, Member and Chairman, U.S. Civil Service Commission; Member and Chairman, Federal Labor Relations Council: Papers 1960-77| publisher=Gerald R. Ford Library-Guides| url=http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/guides/Finding%20Aids/Hampton,%20Robert%20-%20Papers.htm| date=June 1989| accessdate=2011-02-09|}}</ref>
| [[Robert E. Hampton]] || Jan 18, 1969 <ref name="nixon"/>|| c. 1977<ref name="ford">{{cite web| title=Robert E. Hampton, Member and Chairman, U.S. Civil Service Commission; Member and Chairman, Federal Labor Relations Council: Papers 1960-77| publisher=Gerald R. Ford Library-Guides| url=http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/guides/Finding%20Aids/Hampton,%20Robert%20-%20Papers.htm| date=June 1989| access-date=2011-02-09| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110701161045/http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/guides/Finding%20Aids/Hampton,%20Robert%20-%20Papers.htm| archive-date=2011-07-01| url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|[[File:Alan K. Campbell.jpg|60px]]
|[[Alan K. Campbell]] ||January 2, 1979 || January 20, 1981
|}
|}

* [[Alan K. Campbell]], 1977-1978
* Alan Campbell 1979–1981
* Don Devine 1981–1985
* Constance Horner 1985–1989
* Constance Newman 1989–1993
* Kay Coles James 2001–2005
* Linda M. Springer 2005–2008
* (Acting) Michael Hager 2008–2009
* (Acting) Kathie Ann Whipple 2009


==See also==
==See also==
Line 62: Line 103:


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


== External links ==
{{Civil service}}
* [https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/findingaids/mc00025 Guide to the United States Civil Service Commission Announcements and Other Papers 1949-1950]


{{Ulysses S. Grant}}
{{US-gov-stub}}
{{Civil service}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Civil service in the United States]]
[[Category:Civil service in the United States]]
Line 72: Line 116:
[[Category:National civil service commissions]]
[[Category:National civil service commissions]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1883]]
[[Category:Government agencies established in 1883]]
[[Category:1883 establishments in the United States]]

Latest revision as of 19:23, 12 November 2024

United States Civil Service Commission
Official seal
Agency overview
FormedMarch 3, 1871; 153 years ago (1871-03-03)
DissolvedJanuary 1, 1978; 46 years ago (1978-01-01)
Superseding agencies
JurisdictionU.S. federal government

The United States Civil Service Commission was a government agency of the federal government of the United States. It was created to select employees of federal government on merit rather than relationships. In 1979, it was dissolved as part of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978; the Office of Personnel Management and the Merit Systems Protection Board are the successor agencies.

History

[edit]

On March 3, 1871, President Ulysses S. Grant signed into law the first U.S. civil service reform legislation, which had been passed by Congress.[1] The act created the United States Civil Service Commission, that was implemented by President Grant and funded for two years by Congress lasting until 1874. However, Congress which relied heavily on patronage, especially the Senate, did not renew funding of the Civil Service Commission.[2] President Grant's successor, President Rutherford B. Hayes requested a renewal of funding but none was granted.

President Hayes' successor, James A. Garfield, advocated Civil Service reform. His efforts against the spoils system, also known as patronage, were cut short after he was assassinated by Charles J. Guiteau.

Pendleton law

[edit]

President Garfield's successor, President Chester A. Arthur, took up the cause of Civil Service reform and was able to lobby Congress to pass the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883. The Pendleton law was passed in part following a public outcry over the assassination of President Garfield. The Pendleton Act renewed funding for the Civil Service Commission and established a three-man commission to run Civil Service whose commissioners were chosen by President Arthur. The Civil Service Commission administered the civil service of the United States federal government.[3] The Pendleton law required certain applicants to take the civil service exam in order to be given certain jobs; it also prevented elected officials and political appointees from firing civil servants, removing civil servants from the influences of political patronage and partisan behavior.[4] President Arthur and succeeding Presidents continued to expand the authority of the Civil Service Commission and federal departments that the Civil Service was covered. The Civil Service Commission, in addition to reducing patronage, also alleviated the burdensome task of the President of the United States in appointing federal office seekers.

Under the Commission Model, policy making and administrative powers were given to semi-independent commission rather than to the president. Reformers believed that a commission formed outside of the president’s chain of command would ensure that civil servants would be selected on the basis of merit system and the career service would operate in a politically neutral fashion. Civil Service Commissions typically consisted of three to seven individuals appointed by the chief executive on a bipartisan basis and for limited terms. Commissioners were responsible for direct administration of personnel system, including rule-making authority, administration of merit examinations, and enforcement of merit rules.

1953 Executive Order

[edit]

On April 27, 1953, President Eisenhower issued Executive Order 10450, which banned gay men and lesbians from working for any agency of the federal government, including the United States Civil Service Commission.[5] It was not until 1973 that a federal judge ruled that a person's sexual orientation alone could not be the sole reason for termination from federal employment,[6] and not until 1975 that the United States Civil Service Commission announced that they would consider applications by gays and lesbians on a case by case basis.[7]

1978 reorganization

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Effective January 1, 1978, functions of the commission were split between the Office of Personnel Management and the Merit Systems Protection Board under the provisions of Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1978 (43 F.R. 36037, 92 Stat. 3783) and the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978. In addition, other functions were placed under jurisdiction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

Chairmen of the commission

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Image Name From Until
George W. Curtis[8] January 1, 1872 January 1, 1874
Dorman B. Eaton Mar 9, 1883 [9] Nov 1, 1885 (resigned)[10]
Alfred P. Edgerton Nov 9, 1885 [11] Feb 9, 1889 (removed)[11]
Charles Lyman May 13, 1889 [13] Dec 15, 1893 (resigned)[14]
John R. Procter Dec 15, 1893 [14] Dec 12, 1903 (died)[15]
John C. Black Jan 17, 1904 [16] Jun 10, 1913 (resigned)[17]
John A. McIlhenny Jun 12, 1913 [18] Feb 28, 1919 (resigned)[19]
Martin A. Morrison Mar 13, 1919 [19] Jul 14, 1921 (resigned)[20]
John H. Bartlett Jul 15, 1921 [20] Mar 12, 1922 (resigned)[20]
William C. Deming Mar 1, 1923 [21] Feb 6, 1930 (resigned)[22]
Thomas E. Campbell Jul 11, 1930 [23] c. 1933 (resigned)
Harry B. Mitchell May 19, 1933 [24] Feb 26, 1951 (resigned)[25]
Robert Ramspeck Mar 16, 1951 [26] Dec 31, 1952 (resigned)[27]
Philip Young Mar 23, 1953 [28] Feb 11, 1957 (resigned)[29]
Harris Ellsworth Apr 18, 1957 [30] Feb 28, 1959 (resigned)[30]
Roger W. Jones Mar 10, 1959 [31] Jan 4, 1961 (resigned)[32]
John W. Macy Mar 6, 1961 [33] Jan 18, 1969 (resigned)[34]
Robert E. Hampton Jan 18, 1969 [34] c. 1977[35]
Alan K. Campbell January 2, 1979 January 20, 1981

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Civil Service Commission", in Landmark Legislation, 1774-2002: Major U.S. Acts and Treaties, ed. by Stephen W. Stathis (Congressional Quarterly Press, 2003) p107
  2. ^ Brands (2012), pp. 543-544
  3. ^ "American President: Key Events in the Presidency of Chester A. Arthur". Archived from the original on 2010-12-17.
  4. ^ Creating America: A History of the United States, Rand McNally, p 238 (2003)
  5. ^ 04/27/2012 3:48 pm EDT (2012-04-27). "April 27, 1953: For LGBT Americans, a Day That Lives in Infamy | Josh Howard". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2015-06-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "The "Lavender Scare": Homosexuals at the State Department – Association for Diplomatic Studies & Training". adst.org. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
  7. ^ "Cold War, Lavender Scare, and LGBTQ+ Activism". National Park Service. US Department of the Interior. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  8. ^ Smith (2001), p. 589
  9. ^ Foulke, W. D. Fighting the spoilsmen: reminiscences of the civil service reform movement (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1919), p.8
  10. ^ Cleveland, Grover. Accepting Letter of Resignation of Dorman B. Eaton in The Writings and Speeches of Grover Cleveland, ed. George F. Parker (New York: Cassell Publishing Company, 1892), p.46
  11. ^ a b Fourth Report of the United States Civil Service Commission (Washington: Government Printing Office. 1888) pp. 120-121
  12. ^ R.P. van Riper, 1958. History of the United States Civil Service, Row, Peterson & Co., 1958
  13. ^ Trying The Charleston, "New York Times", May 14, 1889
  14. ^ a b Procter Succeeds Lyman, "The Daily Argus News" (Crawfordsville, Indiana), Dec 15 1893
  15. ^ ''Twentieth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1904) p. 7.
  16. ^ Gen. Black Takes The Oath, "New York Times", Jan 17, 1904
  17. ^ Thirty-First Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1915) p. 116.
  18. ^ McIlhenny Heads Civil Service, "New York Times", Jun 13, 1913
  19. ^ a b Thirty-Sixth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission(Washington: Government Printing Office, 1919) p. xxvii
  20. ^ a b c Thirty-Ninth Annual Report of the United States Civil Service Commission(Washington: Government Printing Office, 1922) p. 121
  21. ^ The U.S. Civil Service Commission, "Congressional Digest", Vol II. No. 7 (April 1923), p. 198
  22. ^ Hoover, Herbert. Letter Accepting the Resignation of William C. Deming as President of the Civil Service Commission in "Public Papers Of The Presidents Of The United States" (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1976)
  23. ^ Civil Service Head Takes Oath, "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Jul 11, 1930
  24. ^ Politics And Politicians, "Gazette And Bulletin" (Williamsport, Pennsylvania), May 20, 1933
  25. ^ Ramspeck Is Named Civil Service Head, "The Day" (New London, Connecticut), Feb 27, 1951
  26. ^ Ramspeck Takes Oath For Commission Post, "The Spokesman-Review" (Spokane, Washington), Mar 17, 1951
  27. ^ Civil Service Chief Quits, Wins Praise, "Toledo Blade" (Toledo, Ohio), Jan 1, 1953
  28. ^ Eisenhower Pledges To Rid Civil Service Of All Incompetents, "Florence Times" (Florence, Alabama), Mar 23, 1953
  29. ^ Two Quit CSC, "Reading Eagle" (Reading, Pennsylvania), Feb 11, 1957
  30. ^ a b "Ellsworth, Matthew Harris". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Senate Historical office and House Legislative Resource Center.
  31. ^ Roger Jones Becomes Head of Civil Service, "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Mar 10, 1959
  32. ^ Kennedy, Farm Bosses Tackle Issue[permanent dead link‍], "The Miami News" (Miami, Florida), Jan 5, 1961
  33. ^ Macy Serves First Month In Federal Post for Free, "The Hartford Courant" (Hartford, Connecticut), Mar 5, 1961
  34. ^ a b Nixon Names Three to Policy Positions, "The Los Angeles Times" (Los Angeles, California), Jan 18, 1969
  35. ^ "Robert E. Hampton, Member and Chairman, U.S. Civil Service Commission; Member and Chairman, Federal Labor Relations Council: Papers 1960-77". Gerald R. Ford Library-Guides. June 1989. Archived from the original on 2011-07-01. Retrieved 2011-02-09.
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